Guys,
I bought my 71 last year. I noticed the battery was never real secure and was actually held down with a bungie strap? Anyways once I removed the battery I found a plastic generic battery tray was "bolted" with 12 washers to the fender to keep it level. However because the fender is not level the plastic tray was bending and bouncing around. So I've got the fender with what appears to be solid mounting surface and holes. Do I just order a repo tray from someone? Do I need to get some special hold down brackets to go with the specific tray? From what I've read the 68-72 trays are common so I'll listen for some good advice on how to hold down my battery. Vendor experience?

the factory style battery tray is held onto the fenderwell by 3or4 bolts, must be short enough to avoid contact/puncture of the battery, battery is held down by a triangular piece that clamps the ridge on bottom side of battery, the clamp bracket is held on by 1-bolt.

I noticed (I think) on my OPG book you can buy a hold down kit. If I purchase that along with the tray that would be everything but simple hardware I can get at hardware store? Do these hold down kits work with most batteries?

I noticed (I think) on my OPG book you can buy a hold down kit. If I purchase that along with the tray that would be everything but simple hardware I can get at hardware store? Do these hold down kits work with most batteries?

Yes and yes.
Battery trays (68-72) are readily available along with the hold down. They attach to the right front inner fender with 3 bolts plus another bolt attaches it to the radiator support.
It it quite common for both the battery tray and forward portion of the inner fender (if its metal) to be mildly to severely rusted from years of being under the battery and acid residue trickling down. Some cars (my 70) were built with plastic inner fenders, but in time the plastic begins to crack, split and break---------------especially where it is bolted to the firewall/outer fender. Mine was built (Baltimore) with plastic inner fenders and just this past year I replaced them with steel. BOTH inner fenders are 2-pieces that are spot welded together. At one time, you could buy JUST the forward portion of the inner fender (at least for the right side) to replace the rusted portion. I just did this to the right inner fender that I put on the 70. It comes as a plain, stamped oversize panel that has to be trimed to fit, which I did rather easily. I drilled out the original spot welds and had a good friend help me hold in position and spot weld (mig) the trimmed new panel in place. I then acid dipped both inner fenders, blasted them and HEAVILY coated BOTH the fenders and battery tray with Satin Black Rustoleum (actually, the ACE hardware brand). I used stainless bolts instead of regular steel bolts to attach the new battery tray to the inner fender. I now have a very good, well protected, set of steel inner fenders (even though the car was built with plastic) and battery tray that hopefully will last better than the originals.
Also, I failed to mention. The valley of the battery tray has a drain hole. It is supposed to match a hole in the inner fender. When wet, the water (and residual acid) gets BETWEEN the bottom of the tray and the top of the inner fender. I drilled a corrosponding hole through the inner fender and welded a short piece of thin wall tubing to the battery tray so that any water drains below the inner fender to the ground.

The factory style battery hold down bracket fits all of today's batteries (that part of a battery is standardized). It simply clamps into a groove in the lower side of the battery. If you plan to take your car to the strip, MOST tech inspections REQUIRE that the battery be retained by some kind of secure bracket/holder across the TOP of the battery. So, if you plan to visit the strip ocassionally, and the tech inspectors are "by the book", then you will need to come up with some kind of hold down over the top of the battery.

Good info! I have never been to the strip, but I'd like to go. I may look into a top strap of some kind. Thanks again!

I might as well ask while I'm thinking about it. Anyone sell a kit for over the top security for the "stock" metal tray or should I just be creative?

I might as well ask while I'm thinking about it. Anyone sell a kit for over the top security for the "stock" metal tray or should I just be creative?
:confused:i'm pretty sure that the NHRA-rules only require a top hold-down with 3/8" bolts when the battery has been relocated and is not in the factory mounting spot. i think the stock factory hold-down is legal as factory installed......:yes:

bought my tray on e-bay for around $16.00 just bolts on without any problrms